It all began on August 22, 1639, when Francis Day, Beri Thimmappa, Andrew Cogan, and the Nayak rulers exchanged a strip of coastal land that would give rise to Fort St. George. Villages formed around it, and slowly a city took shape. Over centuries, Madras grew into many things, a colonial capital, a naval post, a bustling trading hub, an auto and healthcare powerhouse, an IT magnet, and above all, a place people proudly call home.
Madras is a city where contradictions sit comfortably side by side. Temples rise beside shopping lanes. A Carnatic kutcheri in December flows into a DJ set in Nungambakkam. Marina Beach sundal stands shoulder-to-shoulder with fries at the mall. Grandmothers sip piping hot filter kaapi while grandchildren line up for their frappuccinos.
In 2004, historian S. Muthiah, along with Sashi Nair and Vincent D’Souza, invited Chennai to pause and celebrate itself. What began as a single day of heritage walks, poetry readings, and conversations soon grew into Madras Week and eventually into Madras Month. Because really, no single day is enough for a city that has been writing history since 1639.
Ask a local, and you’ll unlock a thousand stories: midnight biryani runs, lazy college strolls along Marina at sunset, Ratna Café’s legendary sambar, Vadapalani’s film poster nostalgia, the OMR hustle, and weekend escapes down the ECR. Every story is a thread in the fabric of Madras.
Since 1959, Appaswamy Real Estates has been shaping Chennai’s skyline with a quiet sense of legacy. But Madras is the reason our story exists. The city gave us roots, heritage, and a narrative to carry forward. Every brick we lay, every project we build, carries the inspiration drawn from this city’s rhythm, character, and soul.
Our projects are stories etched into the city, honouring the past while shaping the future:
Parkhouse Mews in Guindy stands on the very grounds where horse stables once stood, touched by the spirit of the Madras Race Club. The architecture nods to that legacy, creating an elegant retreat that still carries the city’s soul.
Arcus in T. Nagar reinterprets Indo-Saracenic arches for boutique living. Built around mature trees, it blends heritage-inspired design with modern intimacy, offering residents a green, rooted enclave in the middle of the city’s buzz.
Kamadhenu in Mylapore, our upcoming project, rises where the iconic Kamadhenu Theatre once entertained generations. By reimagining it into contemporary homes, we are giving the landmark a new lease of life while holding on to its cultural memory.
Every home we create taps into the rhythms of Madras — heritage, culture, energy while balancing modern convenience. We are a part of this city, and it is a part of us.
From the guards of Fort St. George to the bustle of Phoenix Marketcity, from Carnatic weddings to indie night playlists, from soft idlis to sushi rolls, Madras lives in both movement and memory.
At 386 years young, you still show us what it means to belong, to build, and to grow.
Here’s to you, Madras, with gratitude, pride, and perhaps just a little extra sprinkle of sundal flavour on the side.
Happy Birthday, from all of us at Appaswamy.
22 Aug 2025
